Joe Biden pledges new $500 million military aid package for Ukraine

Kyiv: US President Joe Biden has discussed long-range weapons and a new military aid package with his Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday. Biden, who made an unannounced wartime visit to Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, barely days ahead of the first anniversary of Russian invasion, said Ukraine will get additional military aid package worth $500 million from the US. After the meeting, Zelenskyy said the military support and more details will be announced on Tuesday. The White House in a statement said that the package will include HIMARS ammunition, anti-armour systems and air surveillance radars. Additional sanctions will also be placed on Russia, and companies that are trying to “evade or backfill Russia’s war machine”. “Over the last year, the United States has built a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific to help defend Ukraine with unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian support – and that support will endure,” Biden said in a statement. ‘Kyiv captures a part of my heart’ “… Even one year later (since Russian invasion), Kyiv stands, Ukraine stands, democracy stands, the America stands with you and the world stands with you. Kyiv has captured a part of my heart,” Biden said during his surprise visit to Ukraine. He further said that the US will remain with Kyiv “as long as it takes”. An air raid sirens blared across Kyiv as Biden and Zelenskyy exited the gold-domed St. Michael’s Cathedral, which they visited together. There were, however, no reports of Russian missile or air strikes. Also Read: US president Joe Biden arrives in Kyiv in surprise visit ahead of Russian invasion anniversary The howling of air raid sirens gave Biden a short firsthand taste of the terror that Ukrainians have lived with for close to a year. Looking solemn, they continued unperturbed as they laid a wreath and held a moment of silence at the Wall of Remembrance honoring Ukrainian soldiers killed since 2014. Biden also recalled talking to Zelenskyy on the night of the invasion, saying: “That dark night one year ago, the world was literally at the time bracing for the fall of Kyiv. Perhaps even the end of Ukraine.” The US President warned that the “brutal and unjust war” is far from won. “The cost that Ukraine has had to bear has been extraordinarily high. And the sacrifices have been far too great. We know that there’ll be very difficult days and weeks and years ahead. But Russia’s aim was to wipe Ukraine off the map. Putin’s war of conquest is failing,” Biden said. Attacking Putin, Biden said: “He’s counting on us not sticking together. He thought he could outlast us. I don’t think he’s thinking that right now. God knows what he’s thinking, but I don’t think he’s thinking that. But he’s just been plain wrong. Plain wrong.” According to a report by The Associated Press, for weeks, speculation has been building that Biden would pay a visit to Ukraine around 24 February anniversary of the Russian invasion. The White House, however, remained in denial about any planned trip of the president to Ukraine. Since the early hours on Monday, many main streets and central blocks in Kyiv were cordoned without any official explanation. Later people started sharing videos of long motorcades of cars driving along the streets where the access was restricted. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.